Can I train for a marathon in 12 weeks?

My sister is running her fifth marathon in about 12 weeks, and wants me to run with her. I was very active in my teens, but haven't been regularly active since then. (I'm 28.) My main exercise this past year is playing basketball for 1 to 2 hours once a week and going on a few 1- to 3-mile walks during the week.

I jogged 3 miles yesterday morning for the first time, at around 7:30 minutes per mile. This wasn't planned and was probably too fast for my first time out, because my legs are sore. Anyway, is it reasonable for me to train for a marathon that is about 12 weeks away? Or should I plan on 6 months of training? - Jon

Jon, I commend you for contemplating such a goal. If you train correctly, the experience can be wonderful. But 12 weeks would be a real challenge for body and mind – I’ve found it best to ease into marathon training. (The soreness you’ve experienced is due to doing too much, too fast, and too soon.)

I'd suggest picking a marathon that is 6 to 8 months away. Once you've chosen a race, train smart by following these tips:

1. Get a good book. My books Marathon, Running – A Year-Round Plan, and Galloway Training all have programs that you could use as a first-timer, and then graduate to time goals later. These are available, autographed, from my Web site (www.jeffgalloway.com).

2. Slow down your pace – especially on long runs, and at the beginning of all runs. If you are averaging 7:30 per mile on a fast 3-mile run, the long run pace should be no faster than 11 minutes per mile. You cannot go too slow on these long ones. By reducing the pace, you cut the chance of injury and burnout to almost nothing.

3. Take walk breaks from the beginning of all runs—especially the long ones. You will see my recommended run-walk-run ratios for various paces on my Web site (www.JeffGalloway.com). At 11 minutes per mile, the best ratio is to run 2 1/2 minutes, then walk 1 minute.

4. Long runs only need to be run every other weekend. In fact, after the long one exceeds 16 miles, you can run them every third weekend. On the other weekends, I suggest a run of 5 to 7 miles.

5. During the week, two runs of 30 minutes (on Tuesday and Thursday) are the minimum needed to maintain conditioning gained from the long run. I recommend that first-time marathoners do the minimum.

6. As you will see in my schedule, it’s best to increase the long run to a distance of 26 miles, 3 to 4 weeks before the marathon. This will give you the endurance necessary to "go the distance" without hitting the wall.

Good luck. You can do it!

Jeff Galloway

***

Olympian Jeff Galloway has helped thousands of runners achieve their goals through his e-coaching, Galloway Programs across the U.S., retreats, half day running schools, books, and individual consultations. For more information on this topic or Jeff's programs, visit JeffGalloway.com.